8 of Wands: A good pointy stick

It’s a new season of Doctor Who, and all is well. My Whovian youngling and I enjoyed a popcorn enhanced who-a-thon and re-watched the season opener leading into episode 3.

It’s hard to find a favorite quote from the better episodes of the Doctor, especially when Steven Moffat is doing the writing. Every other sentence could make a great t-shirt (yes, that’s a “Blink” reference too). This time I have to go with this one…

“He’s trapped at the heart of the Dalek Empire. He’s a prisoner of the creatures who hate him most in the universe. Between us and him is everything the deadliest race in all of history can throw at us. We, on the other hand, have a pointy stick.”

The more skills and experiences we add to our life’s toolkit, the better the chances we have of getting off of Skaro alive…I mean…the better chance we have of solving problems wisely and crafting a better future.

“Thinking outside the box” is cliche, overused, and annoying…but true. It’s a common element among Doctor Who, Mythbusters, inventors, innovators, and evolutionary adaptation. Tinkering with imperfect but improvised solutions is what leads us to make something too. There is joy to be found in repairing, re-purposing, upcycling, making, inventing and generally MacGyver-ing our way through life. From pointy sticks to duct tape to cell phones and VR goggles – that’s how things get better.